Guitar



July 22, 1941. TQWELL 2,250,402

GUITAR Filed Aug. 26. 1940 Lexmrz: N L;

N Iiwentor Howe; 5 Tqwe// Attorney Patented July 22, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in musical instruments of the type known as guitars, and has for its primary object to provide an auxiliary string frame on which the bass strings are mounted and arranged in position with the regular strings of the instrument to enable the player to select and play the sub-bass strings with ease and quick action and in connection with the chords on the regular guitar neck, these chords being played in the regular way without any change in tuning ar rangement.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an attachment of this character in which the sub-bass strings are played alternately with the regular basses, or in the same beat with them, or in substitution to the regular basses, making it possible to get chords hard to produce otherwise.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the auxiliary frame for the bass strings.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates the shell or body of the musical instrument, which in the present embodiment is shown to represent a guitar, while the numeral 6 designates the neck above which the strings I are mounted in the usual manner and extending across the tone hole 8 formed in the upper surface of the shell.

Inserted in the tone hole 8 is the auxiliary string frame 9 composed of a pair of spaced, substantially parallel frame members 10 connected at their front ends by a panel II on which the tuning keys I2 are mounted for adjusting the strings I3 which extend longitudinally of the frame. The rear ends of the strings I3 are attached to the tail-piece l4 supported between the frame members It] and the rear end thereof, a pair of the tail pieces l4 being provided, as

shown to advantage in Figure 3 of the drawing, and to each of which a group of the strings 13 are attached,

The tail pieces 14 are secured to a cross block l5 which connects the rear ends of the frame members I0 and the cross piece I5 is secured in the tail block N5 of the shell by means of screws [1, the frame a 9 extending outwardly through the tone hole 8 with its forward end overlying the neck 6 as shown to advantage in Figure 2 of the drawing. The auxiliary frame 9 is secured in position to the upper surface of the shell 5 by means of attaching brackets I8.

Also secured to the under side of the top of the shell 5 is a bridge member 19 which engages the strings l3 to maintain the strings in properly spaced relation and to provide the proper tension therefor.

The strings I extend through the frame members l0 and are properly spaced with respect to the strings III of the auxiliary frame 9. The point of crossing of the strings I and I3 is in close proximity to the tone hole 8 and at the usual point where the strings are picked or struck.

While I have illustrated the invention adapted for use upon a guitar it will be understood that the auxiliary bass frame may also be employed and used with equal facility upon other types of stringed instruments such as Hawaiian guitars, mandolins, electric guitars and the like.

The outer end of the auxiliary frame 9 may be provided with a brace 20 in the form of a curved post rising from the outer end of the neck.

It is believed the details of construction, advantages and manner of use of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. An attachment for stringed musical instruments of a type including a shell having a tone hole over which the strings are supported, said attachment comprising a frame for an auxiliary group of strings, said frame projecting from the tone hole and adapted for supporting said auxiliary strings in a position to be played immediately above the main strings.

2. An attachment for stringed musical instruments of a type including a shell having a tone hole over which the strings are supported, said attachment comprising a frame for an auxiliary group of strings, said frame projecting from the tone hole and adapted for supporting said auxiliary strings angularly in crossed longitudinal relation with respect to the main strings.

3. An attachment for stringed musical instruments of a type including a shell having a tone hole over which the strings are supported, said attachment comprising a frame for an auxiliary group of strings, said frame projecting from the tone hole and adapted for supporting said auxiliary strings angularly with respect to the main strings in crossed longitudinal relation with the point of crossing in the region of the tone hol 4. An attachment for stringed musical instruments of a type including a shell having a tone hole over which the strings are supported, said attachment comprising a rigid auxiliary string supporting member and means for securing one end of the member in the shell with the other end of the member projecting outwardly of the tone hole.

5. An attachment for stringed musical instruments of a type including a shell having a tone hole over which the strings are supported, said attachment comprising a rigid auxiliary string supporting member, a plurality of strings attached thereto and means for securing one end of the member in the shell with the other end of the member projecting outwardly of the tone hole, said strings or" the auxiliary member crossing the main strings in the region of the tone hole.

6. An attachment for stringed musical instruments of a type including a shell having a tone hole over which the strings are supported, said attachment comprising a rigid auxiliary string supporting member, a plurality of strings attached thereto, means for securing one end of the member in the shell with the other end of the member projecting outwardly of the tone hole, and a bridge within the shell engaging the auxiliary strings.

7. An attachment for stringed musical instruments or" a type including a shell having a tone hole over which the strings are supported, said attachment comprising a rigid auxiliary string supporting member, a plurality of strings attached thereto, means for securing one end of the member in the shell with the other end of the member projecting outwardly of the tone hole, and a bridge secured to the inner side of the top of the shell and engaging the auxiliary strings.

8. A musical instrument including a shell having a tone hole, a neck projecting from one side of the shell, strings attached to the neck, a frame having one end secured in the shell and projecting outwardly of the tone hole and a plurality of strings attached to said frame and crossing said first named strings in the region of the tone hole.

9. A musical instrument including a shell having a tone hole, a neck projecting from one side of the shell, strings attached to the neck, a frame having one end secured in the shell and projectin outwardly of the tone hole and a plurality of strings attached to said frame and crossing said first named strings in the region of the tone hole and a brace between the outer end of the neck and the outer end of the frame.

THOMAS E. TOWELL. 

